


Do not Judge a Dog by its Bark

by Xobit



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animals, Animal Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-22
Updated: 2012-10-22
Packaged: 2017-11-16 20:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xobit/pseuds/Xobit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes random factors change the lives of many individuals...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do not Judge a Dog by its Bark

He had been a small pup still, just barely old enough to be called youngling instead of sparkling… 

It had been a terrible night, storming, acid rain coming down outside making the world beyond the house seem like a wall of black glittery nothing. He had been curious enough to go and look out the mesh netting door. Mewling a little when a splash of acid hit his olfactory sensor, stinging aggressively.

“Be careful, puppy,” his sire had hauled him back a little from the doorway, voice warm with a chuckle. It had stopped when a howl tore though the storm. A blast of thunder drowned it out in an instant. But Orion had heard. 

“’tor? What was that?” he had asked and his sire had looked down on him with a fond if troubled smile. 

“That was a cyberwolf, little one, they are our enemies, they want to come onto farm land and take the creatures our masters raise. That is why the masters have us, we can guard the creatures and drive away the cyberwolves… but not on a night like this, we cannot go outside in that, our fur and armor is just not thick enough.”

“Couldn’t the cyberwolves just come live like us?” Orion remembered his confusion from then, and he still felt it to some degree. 

“No, pup.”

“But why not?”

“They don’t want to, pup, they think we are slaves to the masters,” vorn later, long after he had been taken away to serve other masters he often thought back, like now, and recognize the ironic twist to his sire’s voice and words. 

Orion huffed, tired and cold to his very back struts. His tank pinged him with its near empty state and he could feel every joint hurt, his mouth dry, from lack of proper feeding. The heavy collar around his neck was itchy, he had never gotten used to it… would never be used to it. 

His sire and carrier had had good masters, much better than the masters Orion had. His creators had never starved, never been forced to recharge outside with barely any shelter… never been hit, that he could recall. 

But he had not been as lucky. His masters only fed him once an orn, they put a heavy collar around his neck joint that would shock him painfully and powerfully enough to knock him out if he tried to leave the farms lands. His masters hit him if he got in the way, accidentally or not. And his masters forced him to recharge outside in what meager shelter he could find, no matter the season. 

None of the creatures on this farm were happy. 

And yet it was all he knew, and so he defended it against invaders. Against turbofoxes, circitrybagers, rustboars and any other destructive or dangerous critter that might try for the creatures that lived on the farm. 

Sometimes even from cyberwolves. 

His memories of his puppy home was for the most part vague, fuzzy, he did know he had never starved, never hurt there. When he first came here it had been just like that, he got enough to eat and no one hurt him, even if there were no pets and scratches. The one thing he remembered clearly was that as soon as he came here the heavy collar had been placed around his neck and he could no longer transform at will. 

Only once a groon was he taken into the big barn and allowed to take mech form, to move about and relearn to walk on two legs and have hands. 

Another heavy, tired and shaky huff. His creators had maybe not been slaves… he was, and yet he knew of nothing else and any other place might see him starving even more than he did here. See him beaten worse than he was here. 

So he stayed. 

What else could a canine mech do? 

A soft pitter-patter made him raise his helmet in alarm, he scooted back trying to get as much out of his meager shelter as he could, whimpering as acid rain began pouring down.

In the darkness cyberwolves howled and he felt a twisting strand of envy deep in his processor. They were free to find shelter wherever they liked, they could run in the rain that was so dangerous for him… maybe they even had enough to eat. 

How he wished on a night such as this, to be one of them. But they would never accept him and he could not survive among them with his comparably weak armor and short fur. They were so much larger than him too… 

Shivering he pressed further back, pulling his paws under his bulk, winching as a splash of acid hit his sensitive olfactory sensor. 

This was his life…

* * *

“This place has a dog,” the distaste and scorn was palatable but Megatron only growled at the statement. He knew that this place had a dog, it had always had dogs… 

It was a sick place that most wolves did not hunt, his pack would not be here this night dark cycle either if it was not for the new born cubs. Swindle had been ill-advised to carry a litter this close to the winter rains. They were now bound to mech country instead of safe up in the mountains where they usually hunted this time of the vorn. 

You could not move a new sparked litter though torrential acid rain. Better just break their skinny little necks. 

Starscream had suggested that already, Megatron would have nothing of it! The cubs were healthy and strong, Swindle's first litter… aside from the timing he was only too glad to welcome the two little ones into his pack. Killing them would be an utter waste. 

But his beta had always been a little unhinged, if not for his litter brothers he might well have cast the winged cyberwolf out long ago. The two deltas were, however, strong and capable both, if Skywarp liked to prank from time to time… hmm.

“Attacking a place with a dog is suicide, _pack leader_ ,” a moment after the words had left him Starscream yelped unbecomingly. What had ever given him the notion to take that one into his den? sometimes he thought he had been a bit mad.

It was long ago though, but Starscream still retained the position of his beta. 

“This place only has one dog, a young one, and the rain is too heavy for him to do anything,” snarling low he again snapped at the smaller cyberwolf’s hunches, driving him forward. 

They needed the prey; this was the best place to get it.

* * *

As soon as he heard them he started barking, calling for his master as loudly as he could. He even tried to run into the rain, but he was unable to continue all the way to the house. With no cover the acid stung and burned his fur and his plating. 

The frightened bleating of creatures made him bark louder yet, trying once again to get though the rain. It did not help anything, only caused him more pain. 

The death cry of one creature sounded, then another… and a third, a howl began but died abruptly as if the one making it had been silenced. 

Optimus barked madly in his meager shelter, terrified, angry, and utterly helpless. 

He knew what was to come, after all.

By morning the rain had died down into a painful drizzle and he lay whimpering in his shelter, vocalizer barked to ruin, huddled against the wall when his master came for him. 

There was shouting that he understood little of, aside from his name and the word ‘bad’. He knew that word intimately for it always preceded the beatings. 

This time though the beating was worse than bad… terrible, wrecking his already acid damaged and hunger weak chassis. When he fell the third time he did not even try to move again and it was not till then that his master stopped hitting him with the heavy mesh belt. 

Everything hurt…

* * *

The dog had done everything it could to alert his master that there was wolves out there. It had barked itself hoarse, even tried to brave the acid rain a few times. 

Many of his pack had laughed at it, crowing at how easily it was defeated by a bit of rain. 

He however saw something noble in it. 

Megatron huffed, running soundlessly though the long concealing crysgrass. Noble or not he should not be here, but something had been so… off. They called the place evil but he had never really considered why, just kept away like the other packs that traveled along here from the summer hunting grounds to the winter home in the mountains. 

The dog had sounded so desperate… so afraid. 

The fear had little to do with the pack of cyberwolves tearing three creatures apart if he was any judge. No one barked, yipped, howled, or roared himself mute for no reason. He wanted to understand the reason for such insane behavior. 

Most dogs would not go that far, no matter how loyal they were to their masters. 

He heard the dog before he saw him. Terrible sounds, so broken and static riddled it was painful to bear witness to them. They told him what was happening all too clearly and still he inched forward till he could look. 

It was nothing like a dominance fight between two Alphas… the young dog did not even try to fight. Eventually he did not even try to stay on his paws. His plating was severely dented… even cracked a few places. Megatron hurt just by looking at him!

And no sane Alpha would ever beat a gamma after he had given up like that. Tail between his legs and not even trying to get up and act defiant…

Megatron did not believe that the dog was a Gamma though. Not after seeing this, any Gamma would have tried running away and this one had not. Broken though; maybe beyond repair. And it was not his responsibility to repair the dog! It was just a dog, not a member of his pack, not someone he had any… 

Which was why he did such a very foolish thing.

* * *

Whimpering to himself, he considered the merits of getting up. Would it not simply hurt him more? He already knew that his empty tank would not be filled this orn, not even with the little he usually got. Optimus swallowed another whimper, finding a little relief in the pain of his chassis downing out the pain of his empty tank. 

It would take so long to get well… on so little fuel, if he got any at all the next few orn. Desperation sparked and died at that thought, no fuel could kill him. But he hurt too much for it to last for long, there was simply no energy to get from anywhere. 

Then a scent filled his olfactory sensor, well known and feared almost as much as he feared that of his master. 

Cyberwolf…

But it made sense, did it not? They took those weak and injured, he was both. Still, he wearily lifted his head, tried to bark… to alert his master because it was all he knew how to do.

“You don’t have any voice left, puppy,” the sneer was clear, harsh and grating. The voice, terrible and soothing all at once. He looked up at the giant cyberwolf, spark quailing at seeing his death personified. 

“And yet you try? Such loyalty… any Alpha should be so lucky as having that directed at them, and yet your Alpha beat you up. And for what? Because we culled a few near lame beasts from his flocks? Beasts that would not have lasted though winter even with good care…” the scorn was almost tangible. It made Optimus cower before the dark predator, the truth of it sheering into his broken processor and spark as if etched there with acid. 

“A tame little puppy, a good little slave… that is really all you are?” his audio shells folded down flat at that, the truth hurting so much more than the physical injuries. 

He tried to move away when the cyberwolf lunged at him, despite his own thoughts before the predator arrived he did not want to die. It took him a moment to realize that the crunch he heard was not his throat plating being crushed. 

The large cyberwolf circled him lazily, and then suddenly looked up. Snarling low he rounded on Optimus and bit his rump armor. Yelping, the smaller dog launched to all four, teetering on the verge of going down again. Another bite, nip?, sent him stumbling forward in an awkward terrified run.

He did not know how long the predator hounded him on, did not care either when the bites stopped coming. He simply collapsed in a heap of pain and offlined. 

Optimus did not care what happened to him now, too exhausted to manage even such an essential thing.

* * *

“ _What_ is _that_?” The absolute disgust fairly dripped off of Starscream’s words as he approached the heap that had collapsed in the middle of the makeshift camp. He recoiled not a moment later when the scent finally reached his nose. “A _dog_! You brought a _dog_ into our pack while we have cubs!”

Megatron snorted at the statement, his Beta had already suggested they kill the cubs so that was hardly a creditable concern coming from him. Several other wolves came forth from hollows under crystal roots, wanting to know what was going on. 

For a moment they distracted him, almost enough that he did not notice Starscream dart in to bite at the small dog’s neck joint. 

“What the frag are you doing!” flattening his Beta was nothing new, but bearing his dental fangs and poising as if to sink them into the submissively, reflexively, bared neck joint… it shocked him to react that strongly.

“Killing it! It is a danger to the pack!” even under him and so dangerously exposed Starscream mouthed off. Typical…

“The puppy is no danger to anyone, he was savagely beaten and from the looks of it has not been fed well most of his life!” snarling he pulled away, allowing his Beta to get back on all fours. Snarling warningly at the gathered pack members he walked over to nose at the young dog. Out cold… the poor thing smelled of spilled energon, sickness… 

Why had he brought him here? It was foolish, dangerous… utterly insane! 

“Get me Hook,” 

“You cannot mean t~” he rounded on Starscream with a dangerous full toned snarl and the other immediately cowered low.

“ _Get me Hook_!”

* * *

Hook’s first action was to get the ugly collar off, cussing when he figured out that it was more than just a sign of ownership. Neither he nor Megatron could figure out what the owner of a dog might get out of keeping the dog in secondary mode… it was ineffective to say the least. All a Cyberwolf would have to do was transform and they could easily overpower the secondary mode. Even Turbofoxes would have it relatively easy, small as they were. 

At least it seemed like an unreasonable disadvantage to him, but there might be things he did not know about dogs. He did know that the collar was an abomination… and that the now transformed dog’s throat column looked impossibly delicate and beautiful without the heavy dark thing obscuring it. 

The dog was a vision of pure beauty despite his starved state… where his secondary mode was pretty in a sort of small way, rather like turbofoxes delicateness, his root mode was sturdy but gorgeous. Broad shoulders and a wide chest that tapered down to the most impossible slender waist that in turn flared into hips he could already see swaying sensually as the dog walked. 

He looked like a wolf… a miniature but fully developed wolf. Hook even commented on that, speculating that there might be some wolf in the dog’s ancestry somewhere. Megatron did not care much, busy sorting out the new feelings and urges seeing the dog like this brought on…

For one thing he could not allow his Beta to know that a dog stirred his desire like no wolf, including said Beta, had ever done. Starscream would attempt to rip the dog apart while he was still in stasis. 

Starscream had never tolerated rivals…

And then there was the pack. 

What possible benefit could there be to the pack if he took a dog as his new Beta? How could he justify bringing something as weak as a tamed and collard _dog_ into a position of power in his pack? What if the dog was a natural Gamma… could he justify taking him as breeding mate only? Would any pups they had be strong enough to become a part of the pack at all?

All of those things assuming the dog would even graciously consent to him mounting him. 

Megatron yipped softly with amusement, aware that all his worrying and speculations might well be in vain if the dog refused his advances. 

He ex-vented deeply, reaching out to turn the dog’s helmet so he could look at him once again. Really look at the beautiful, savage face plates… how could a dog be so much wolf?

* * *

Optimus woke to a splitting processor ache, seemingly coming from his whole chassis. But it was not… it was not as bad as the pain that had made him loose consciousness; it was a good sort of pain, the pain of a healing chassis. 

His tank was still empty though, as it told him with an angry gurgle. 

Sitting up he felt a sharp tug on one arm, distracted he looked down to see a sharp piece of crystal sticking out from his elbow joint. A long slender vine was attached to it and in turn was attached to what looked like some creature's fuel tank? 

“I see you are online,” the deep voice made him whip his helmet around, dentals bared in warning. The wolf laughed at him, transformed into a tall, broad green and purple mech and walked right up to him. No fear… 

“Don’t play smart with me, pup, I’m the one who saved your life. My name is Hook and I am this pack's healer, I don’t know why our pack leader wants you alive, but I don’t ask questions that might get me killed,” ‘Hook’ looked him up and down, dermas curling just enough to show the tips of large dental fangs, “or maybe I do know why he wants you alive… that’ll be interesting to say the least…” 

Optimus flushed hotly and growled wordlessly, resisting the urge to curl up. The healer shrugged and bend to yank out the crystal shard before retrieving the husk of a petrorabbit from his subspace, dumping it in his lap.

“Courtesy of the pack leader, enjoy!” the healer left Optimus to stare at the meal. A whole petrorabbit? For him… alone? His tank growled and he whimpered before guiltily beginning to eat. 

Half way though he had to stop, tank aching from the rich meal… and still it was fuller than he could actively remember it being since he was a small pup. 

“Can’t eat anymore? Not surprised,” he started, almost losing his grip on the husk as he pulled it protectively to his chest plates. A somewhat softer look crossed the cyberwolf healer’s optics. “You were nearly starved to deactivation, pup, your tank will have to get used to rich food and larger amounts of it again… and you don’t have to clutch that husk to you, you’ll be fed well here, we… well, _we_ don’t let our pups starve if we can help it,” ‘unlike your former owners’ went unsaid but Optimus still winched and flattened his audio shells along his helmet. 

“W~” he stopped and had to reset his vocalizer, “why am I here? W-what am I doing here… what are you going to do to me?” his voice seemed soft compared to the healer’s gruff snarly tone, and it was sort of hitching from disuse. When had he last spoken with anyone? Anyone who understood him… 

“Our pack leader brought you home; I haven’t asked him why… I am assuming he has his reasons,” another wandering up and down look scorched his chassis and made him flinch. “And sadly my job of doing anything… mm _anything_ to you is done, you are free to leave my recharge den when you feel up to facing the pack. We’ve got a lot of curious ones wanting to see what all has the pack leader up in knots… not that I can blame him…” 

Optimus shrank a little under the hot look on the cyberwolf healer’s faceplate wishing himself well away. Finally he put down the petrorabbit husk and fled, sure that he could get more peace outside. 

Unfortunately that was not the case, Hook had been right. Several wolves were outside, some in secondary mode and others in primary, all of them looking at him… in the same manner Hook had used. He almost transformed but he was already small enough compared to these wolves! And he could not help but revel in being able to hold primary mode…

Edging towards the edge of what seemed pack territory he contemplated if he could slip away to run home. But before the thought had even fully formed a large blue cyberwolf blocked his path, a gaggle of barely out of puphood younglings around him. Despite the seemingly domestic scene there was no doubt that the dark blue cyberwolf was there to prevent him from getting away. 

Running was out of the question.

* * *

He did not actually see his kidnapper for a good three orn. Optimus knew the big dark cyberwolf had been in the pack’s clearing but he did not set optics on him. Who he did meet was Starscream… pretty much instant hatred occurred… at least from the Beta’s side, Optimus did not know what to think of any of them. 

The healer was friendly enough, in a sort of leeringly suggestive way, and his litter mates were also nice enough. He was even allowed to see Swindle’s cubs, the twins making him fall in love with them just by wiggling about and whining. Having never seen cubs or puppies he had not known what to expect. But the two black and slick looking little things were adorable and Swindle was almost, almost, his size, a friendly sort too. 

Blackout was another who was friendly towards him, mostly it seemed because Optimus did not so much as blink when he saw the large technoscorpion that followed the grizzly old Cyberwolf around. He also did not ask any questions about them… 

A few others would talk to him, the large dark blue cyberwolf called Soundwave served as his keeper, his ‘sitter and his guide though he did not speak much. Most others acted like he was not there and a few glared death at him whenever they saw him. Most of those seemed to be in league with Starscream.

All in all he had found some calm, though he still just wanted to get away and back to his home. Terrible as it was there, it was all he knew of as home and this strange life with the Cyberwolf pack was not his… it had simply happened to him.

Then Megatron came striding into the pack territory, large, imposing… regal. Over one shoulder he carried the husk of a rustboar as big as Optimus and likely heavier. With a grunt he tossed it off in front of Swindle’s den before walking off towards the river. 

Optimus felt… odd.

* * *

He let the pack form its own opinion of the dog before approaching him, it was only right to give him space to attain whatever rank he wanted. Whatever place or niche he had the skills to fill. Hook and his litter mates had taking him under their protection… somewhat a surprise as they were usually very insular. 

More surprising was the fact that the cubs ran as eagerly to the young pup as to the members of their den family. But seeing the dog with cubs only cemented the need he had to claim him. He was good with them, to them, and they were not even his own. 

It also underscored that he wanted to win the loyalty he had seen displayed towards the cruel owner… Why had Optimus chosen to accept an Alpha like that? Bestow such fierce loyalty on him that he still tried to sneak out and run back to him… it was galling.

Megatron would not have it! 

The dog was his! He just did not know it yet… 

But there were some problems with this obsession. His Beta, the fact that the pack had yet to move on to the winter home in the mountains, the fact that Optimus refused to integrate entirely into pack life… 

Starscream could be distracted, and he was good to have around when frustration got the better of his libido, just as he had always been. However distractions would not last forever and the tricolored cyberwolf was vindictive and power hungry. 

A more permanent solution was needed eventually. 

The cubs were able to run now, not for long but enough that only a few more orns would be needed before the pack could move on. That, however, would lead to him having to assign a guard to the dog, or Optimus would be gone in the dark, heading back to slavery and starvation. 

Lastly… well, as long as Optimus refused to let go of slave life he would not take a place in the pack and Megatron would not know in what way he should approach a mating. Naturally the dog was not obliging him in this silent wish. He helped anyone that asked him, obeyed most orders, ate what was given to him with a near pathetically thankful expression in his pretty blue optics. 

Was he really _irreparably_ broken?

“Soundwave, Shockwave… two orn and we break camp, make sure our newest member stays with the pack,” taking his optics off the bowed helmet of Optimus he sent his two most trusted Gammas a warning glare. Neither did more than nod to him and he left them be. 

The longer they got away from the one-forms the sooner he could break his little dog free of their chains.

* * *

They were going… traveling to some unknown place the cyberwolves called ‘the winter home’. With every step he was going further away from his home… Optimus’ spark quailed as he trotted along, flanked by dark blue and dark purple. 

Neither Soundwave nor Shockwave spoke to him, the mated Gamma pair simply, and obviously, keeping him with the pack by sheer physical presences. Who would dare try and run off if it was these two that would bite your rump to get you back in line?

They were far more effective than Starscream. 

Then again the Beta was still trying to drive him off, or kill him. Optimus was not sure which one would make the tricolored cyberwolf happiest, and he still did not know why there was so much hatred in the ruby glares… 

Megatron was still ignoring him, he did not understand why the pack leader had collected him in the first place and no one seemed to want to explain it. What could the enormous powerful Cyberwolf want with a half starved Iaconian shepherd dog? 

It had to be some sort of twisted… something! He would take any explanation over the nothing he had now… 

A halt was called, Swindle’s cubs needing another rest. Starscream approached and Shockwave immediately moved to intercept the tricolored Cyberwolf leaving Optimus to Soundwave. 

Only… 

Optimus looked around; just to be sure he was not wrong… no, no one was looking at him, guarding him. Everyone occupied with something or someone else, Soundwave was pulling his half grown cubs apart to his right… 

He slipped away. 

Sneaking though the brush he inwardly chortled at his luck as the sounds of the resting pack grew distant and then disappeared all together. He was free! He could go ho~…

Optimus faltered, paws turning clumsy all of a sudden and he looked back over his shoulder towards the pack. Another few faltering steps and he stopped to transform, rising up on two legs, looking towards the pack and then turning to look towards his home. 

It was his home… 

Where he had starved, been beaten, bound and kept from taking his primary form. But… home?

_“’tor? What was that?”_

_“That was a cyberwolf, little one, they are our enemies, they want to come onto farm land and take the creatures our masters raise. That is why the masters have us, we can guard the creatures and drive away the cyberwolves… but not on a night like this, we cannot go outside in that, our fur and armor is just not thick enough.”_

_“Couldn’t the cyberwolves just come live like us?”_

_“No, pup.”_

_“But why not?”_

_“They don’t want to, pup, they think we are slaves to the masters,”_

He whimpered, torn. This was… this was wrong, he had to go h-home! The farm was his home, his territory… the place he had to protect! 

Protect against Cyberwolves and… 

But he was beaten there, starved and forced to stay in secondary mode. It was not like his first home at all! There had been petting and food, his Creators' warmth and his litter mates. His… his pack?

Another whimper broke free and he turned to look toward the pack again, processor finally making the connection between his puppyhood family and the feelings he had when with those of the pack inclined to show him kindness. 

He turned just in time to see the form hurdling at him before it flattened him to the forest floor. 

Armor compressing under the heavy weight, his howl of fright came out as nothing more than a drawn out wheeze. His helmet banged hard enough into the dirt to make his dentals clack together as it bounced back up, he bit his glossa and one fang sliced into his lower derma. 

The smell of energon made him growl woozily, and he attempted to struggle against his assailant. He did not have leverage and he certainly did not have the mass to throw the enraged cyberwolf pack leader off of him. But he tried!

Olfactory sensor full of the overpoweringly, intoxicating scent of the imposing pack leader, driving him mad with fear. And something else… Self preservation instincts battling the need to just roll over and show his belly plating, bare his neck joint to the killer’s dental fangs. 

Killer… leader, strong, needed… _need_!

* * *

Under him, struggling and growling. Megatron barely held his anger in check at the clear defiance from the little dog. The smell of fresh energon made control even harder but he was not here to kill the dog, simply to reclaim him. 

Teach him a lesson…

One did not defy the pack. One did not defy the pack leader! 

He opened his mouth to start yelling at the little fool when the change in scent hit his olfactory sensor. Heat… heat? How could… 

No, not heat but desire, and the unmistakable scent of innocence. 

Oh the dog was indeed barely more than a puppy if he had yet to be mounted! Yet to experience a true heat. Megatron’s optics shuttered halfway, leaving only a small slit of red to glow though. Lowering his massive helmet he gently began licking the thick energon from his captive’s chin. 

Optimus was shivering under him, growling defiantly, confused and fearful. 

Poor young dog… 

He cleaned him up, licking his dermas with the utmost care completely ignoring the attempt at snapping. Ignoring every little attempt at struggling and defiance. If there had been time for it he would have shown him his place with a kiss, maybe more. Defiant or not the lithe chassis under his was more than ready to be claimed. 

But all in due time, there were still things to consider. 

Among them the fact that this was decidedly not the behavior of a lowly Omega!

Levering himself off of the dog, he finally let him sit up. Optimus was slow to do so, and even slower to stand fully… but he did not protest being herded back to rejoin the pack. 

And more importantly he did not once look over his shoulder in the direction of his former home.

* * *

As they traveled on towards the winter home of the pack Optimus found himself changing. The journey took almost a groon because of the cubs, but the dog was happy for that. He knew that if it had not been for the cubs he would have been the one to slow the pack down. Compared to the cyberwolves he was in a woeful shape, his paw plating cracking under the strain of long orns of walking and running for the first half of the groon. 

It was a good thing he was kept well fed by the pack's hunters, for he was a bad hunter too. Though Blackout took him under his paw on that at least, teaching him how to hunt for glitchmice and turborats… and eventually the larger, faster petrorabbits. 

He would probably never be able to feed anyone but himself adequately, but at least he was good at hunting the smaller creatures. And he could catch them alive, which proved much fun when he took a tuborat or a petrorabbit with him home and gave it to Swindle’s cubs to ‘hunt’. The wolf and his litter mates approved and actually asked him to do it when he could; it was good training for the young cubs after all.

Slowly he stopped being a burden and became, at the very least, a self-sufficient member of the pack. His paw plating toughened up and he gained weight as well as built up his muscle cabling. 

Instead of a half starved to deactivation puppy, he began looking like the young near his first prime Iaconian shepherd dog he really was. 

That did not go unnoticed.

* * *

Megatron found his hunger for the young dog growing, slowly but surely as he filled out and began to scent healthy. The resilience and vitality was seducing all on its own, but with the added layer of seemingly being a born Beta… oh yes, his control over the hunger was slipping.

He could not explain it otherwise though; he had even tentatively discussed it with Shockwave and Soundwave… 

In the end it was about what was good for the pack, he had failed with Starscream but as he had never taken the volatile Beta as mate he was not the true pack Beta. He would never do as a full Beta, either. There was not the care in him to put his personal needs below the needs of the pack.

Optimus however spent his time learning the laws of the pack, he hunted for himself and when he could he shared. He was a dog, and even small litter runt Swindle was big in comparison to him, but that did not matter, for his personality was powerful and lent him a presence like no other in the pack… aside from Megatron himself. 

Soundwave at least had agreed that the Iaconian shepherd dog was a natural Beta, Shockwave however had stated something different. 

The large one opticked Cyberwolf had proposed that Optimus might be a submissive Alpha, much to both Megatron and Soundwave’s shock. Such Alphas were rare indeed; something any pack would be blessed to have since an Alpha/alpha pairing was much more stable than an Alpha/Beta one. 

However Starscream was becoming a real problem, and more of a nuisance than he had ever been before. The tricolored cyberwolf was very aware that he was losing Megatron’s affection rapidly, what little he had managed to maintain. That made him lash out and Optimus was the recipient of most of the anger.

It seemed like pure luck that Optimus was unwilling to cower before the higher ranking Beta. Luck and perhaps the new and growing confidence and sense of self-worth the dog seemed to collect with every successful hunt. Each sign that another pack member was welcoming him among them.

Unfortunately Megatron could not really say that watching the significantly smaller dog face off with the tricolored cyberwolf, and win, made him less obvious in his interest. So far it had not come to anything physical, merely some posturing and growling. 

He really did not want it to become physical, if the dog was to be involved in anything physical it had better be with him! And the vorn was creeping on, slowly reaching mid winter and the coming of the Heat. 

This vorn he would not be mounting Starscream. 

But he did not know if he would be mounting the young dog either…

* * *

“This is not your prey!” Starscream, Optimus’ flattened his audio shells and growled quietly. He should have known that the Beta would seize on any opportunity… 

It seemed that Starscream jumped at any chance to growl and yell at him these orn. And he could not figure out why, as the winter grew deeper and snow fell heavily his hunts were more often blessed with luck than that of the larger cyberwolves. Furthermore he shared every scrap he could, though he made sure to eat his fill after Hook put him in his place about starving himself. Not that he agreed with the healer, but… yes. 

“I am getting it for Swindle,” he let the rustboar leg go to speak, letting it lie in the snow, looking up at the tricolored cyberwolf who’s fur stood up with aggression.

“As if! You are the only one looking well-fed around here, and who said that Swindle could have extra anyway?” but, as happened more and more, Starscream lost some of his surety covering it badly with theatrics and growling. Optimus wished he knew why the cyberwolf hated him so much, or feared him? Though fear seemed so… impossible. 

“I am well fed because I hunt glitchmice and turborats! Besides it’s not true, everyone has enough to eat, I even bring back what I can. And Hook asked me to bring Swindle some more fuel, he needs it since he is still feeding the cubs!” he was angry enough, and young enough, to answer to the accusations instead of ignoring them. Optimus did not even think about the fact that showing hostility at least partly legitimated Starscream’s aggression with him. he was supposed to bow to the Beta, within reason of course. 

However he was not prepared to be charged helmet on by the larger tricolored cyberwolf. Nothing he had done warranted such an attack, not this time, not in any of the other clashes. Had the Beta done it just a few orn ago he would likely have backed down, shown his belly plating and just let him win. 

Now? Now he got angry, rolling away from the attack and then launching his own. 

Starscream was a rather light cyberwolf, with a nearly emaciated build and long flowing fur. He was fast and strong but Optimus was smaller, faster… he could dart in and out while Starscream was still turning for the next attack.

Still… Starscream tried to bite him to disable him, shocking enough in itself, while Optimus simply attempted to defend himself and get the tricolored cyberwolf off his case. Fur flew, growls rose higher in pitch, yelps, yips, and barks sounded as the fight escalated. 

Starscream was the one who drew energon the first, and second, time. Optimus yelped both times but refused to back off from the unfair challenge until he was literally ripped away from Starscream, drawing his own first energon on the way, though not on purpose. 

Shaking his helm he saw Hook holding the tricolored cyberwolf’s scruff between his dentals and then he was himself shaken roughly once before he was dropped onto all four paws. Cowering a little he looked up.

Megatron was growling, but it was not Optimus he was paying attention to, instead the incensed red optics were locked on his Beta. 

“What do you think you were doing!” for once Starscream had nothing to say, mouth opening and closing a few times before he cowered as best he could in Hook’s grip, tail between his legs and optics on the ground. 

“I thought so, if you cannot come to terms with our new pack mate maybe you need to consider if you want to be in this pack!” the snarl, so close… Optimus shivered and it was not all from fear. 

“Get out of my sight, Starscream, and stay out of it!” the tricolored cyberwolf slunk off, with Hook after him nipping at his hunches. 

The healer would see to the wound then, Optimus relaxed at the thought and then realized that he himself was hurt. One leg had a nice set of dental marks and there was a bite on his left hunch. 

“You are too brave, little pup,” the rumble reminded him that he was not alone and he twisted to look up at the dark cyberwolf standing almost over him.

“I have to be, or I would never manage to do anything here,” he did not even think about talking back to Megatron, fed up with being picked on and called young for this orn. 

“Really now?” to his surprise the cyberwolf lay down beside him and lowered his massive helmet so he could lick the leg wound. Optimus shifted away, jittery from the fight and the strange intense attention he got from Megatron on the rare occasions the pack leader deigned to notice him. 

“Sit still!” it was an order, he froze. The growl was still very much noticeable in the larger mechs voice. 

“I can clean my wounds on my own,” tone cautious he remained still, trying hard to ignore the rasp of the big warm glossa against his leg. 

“Of course,” Optimus huffed, resigned to his fate. 

If only he knew why…

The why of everything!

* * *

He itched…

Optimus turned over for the millionth time, having a sigh as he once again failed at initiating his recharge cycle. 

It had started around three orn ago, a sort of warm itch that he knew all too well. Whenever it started up at the farm his master would come with a syringe take him to the barn where he would inject him and then leave him for a few joor. 

The injection was painful, and the joor were sort of blurry and somewhat pained memories of semi lost time. He had considered going to Hook, really he had, but between frequent clashes with Starscream, Megatron’s increasingly heavy attention and the memories of his former Master… Well. 

However three orn of little sleep was getting to him. He knew he was getting more snappish with everyone, and it seemed that everyone else was getting snappish too. His imagination of course, but still a notion he could not shake… 

The only one seemingly unaffected was Swindle, who seemed somehow amused and even goaded his den mates. He did not goad Optimus, which made the young dog sure he was imagining things. 

Dragging himself out of the small den he had claimed for his own he trotted over the clearing, growling at Blackout when the large cyberwolf made to sniff in his direction. He was so focused on his goal that he did not notice the dark ruby gaze following him, or the death glare that pinned Blackout the moment he disappeared into Swindle’s den. 

All that mattered to him was that he fin~

“Hook, oh I am o glad you are still here,” relived he sat down heavily, audio shells twitching with unease. 

“Pup?” the healer was growling. Now Hook was always grouchy but this was… something else, there was something in the growl and in the way he was looking at him.

“I’m itching! Is there something you can give me… I… uh…” the green and purple cyberwolf rose, dislodging Scavenger and Mixmaster from where they had rested against him. The movement had wafted scents to his olfactory sensors, different scents, strange and enticing. New… 

“Yes?” the word was tense, held a strange edge that Optimus knew with certainty that he did not want to fall on the wrong side of. 

“Um… my ma-owne… the one-form always gave me something when I felt like this, made it go away… c-can you…” he backed up at the dangerous growl that greeted his word, growling back himself. Hook was furious, too furious to make any real sense past that he wanted to ‘rip that useless one-form’ apart. 

Optimus fled the healer’s den as dignified as he could. Clearly there would be no help handling the itch from Hook!

More cyberwolves had exited their dens, including a sleepy looking Swindle and his two cubs. The relatively small wolf smiled at him and shook his helmet knowingly.

“Gone into heat, has he? Well, none of us is getting anything coherent out of him for the next few orn then,” Optimus merely blinked at the dusty brown and purple mech. Swindle grinned at him, a slightly flirtatious one. 

“Be glad he has company already, as close to your own as you are he might just have tried to collect you… Megatron or no Megatron. Heat doesn’t make for the smartest of choices,” the cyberwolf sat up and leaned forward, a sort of conspiratorial expression on his faceplates. 

“So, who are you going to chose? I mean… it’s pretty obvious who’ll want to try for you!” 

“What are you talking about, Swindle?” Optimus shook his head, feeling uncomfortable with not knowing what they were talking about and the distinct feeling of being watched intently. A quick glance around showed that several pairs of optics were trained on him quite intently. 

“For your heat, of course!” Swindle sounded like this was something everyone should know about, Optimus consequently felt immensely stupid, “so? Tell me already! Who will you chose as den mate?” 

“D-den mate?” 

“Oh, I know, it’s a big choice… but the first time doesn’t have to be permanent, and if your heat doesn’t settle on the first try you can always go to one of your other choices,” apparently Swindle was completely misreading him but Optimus was only too grateful for that! As the cyberwolf nattered on about the pros and cons of the available partner choices his processor began putting two and two together. 

Still the conclusion seemed… ridiculous. 

And Swindle was certainly not mentioning that possibility… so, it was not one, right? Despite what the clues pointed to. And he did not really want… _that_. 

Did he? 

At that moment he lifted his head and glanced out over the gathered cyberwolves only for his gaze to unwillingly travel up to the rim of the small valley that the pack claimed as winter home. There sat the distinctive bulk of the dark pack leader and his ruby optics were as mercilessly locked on the small dog’s chassis as any of the other mate-less cyberwolves…

He really did _not_ want that!

If Swindle noticed the hitch in his ventilation, or the small whine he made no notice of it. Optimus was grateful whatever the reason as he wrested his optics from red ones and tried to fend off his tentative friend’s many probing questions.

* * *

Almost time. 

Hook had gone into heat just last dark cycle, pulled his den mates in with him. The mated pairs, trines and groups had already sequester themselves, knowing that their heat would hit and that it was their responsibility to supply the pack with cubs the coming spring.

His own cubs would be among them this vorn, he would make sure of it!

But Megatron had one small problem, his Beta was gone. Nowhere to be found, and this close to heat he had gone from a nuisance to a danger… he would really rather not kill him but if that was what it took to secure his desired mate it would be done. 

Of course the tricolored cyberwolf had become more and more scarce the last half groon up to this long awaited orn. Returning disheveled and even somewhat… vacant looking. Or maybe the word was ‘dreamy’. 

Megatron preferred well fucked. 

If his Beta was well fucked he would not pose any more problems to his claiming the Iaconian shepherd dog as mate. If he tried to protest it would be oh so easy to point out his infidelity, something that would not be tolerated in the one who would carry the pack leader’s cubs. 

This orn he would find out for sure, and then he had an appointment with a sweetly scented little dog… 

It was with some reluctance that he tore himself away from the sight of the dog re-crossing the clearing after having finally managed to excuse himself from Swindle’s chatter. 

Time to make sure there would be no one to oppose his claim.

* * *

“Uh…uh, _harder_!” the savage growl that answered the demand was met with a soft whine as large sharp dentals sank deeply into the tricolored neck scruff. 

Ah, almost enough to make him remember only the good things about Starscream. Megatron yawned and put his massive head down on his paws, audio shells flickering in lazy amusement at another demand being cut off by a bite. 

Clearly this one was a very good match for his wayward Beta. 

Tilting his head without lifting it he appraised the mostly green long furred frame. Starscream had always liked them big and thick; this one seemed to fulfill those criteria very well. 

“ _Bulkhead_!” the shriek made him huff heavily, the voice that had once made him hunger now doing nothing more to him than say… Blackout’s. It was defiantly arousing, but the frame he wanted to have under his, the scruff he wanted to bite… the valve he wanted to tie with? 

Optimus’. 

Speaking of tying.

“I see you are entertained this season, Starscream,” his former Beta yelped loudly, and then both mating mechs made pained sounds as the tricolored cyberwolf had attempted to pull away from the tie. It was a natural enough reaction…. but painful, Megatron grinned and got up to trot down to them. 

“And with a half breed too, a wolfdog… how interesting considering your vocal behavior towards Optimus, hmm, Starscream?” he boldly sniffed their tied together interface equipment, knowing well the insult he was implying. ‘Bulkhead’ snarled but did not move past flattening his audio shells to his helmet. 

Clearly not the dominant partner despite being on top.

“Frag off, you arrogant aft!” mm, yes, Starscream was the one calling the shots.

“No, I don’t think I will… at least not till I have your word that you will leave my chosen mate alone, renounce your claim on being second in the pack,” he paused for effect but found himself surprised when Starscream jumped right in.

“Yes, yes of course! I don’t give a frag about being second, I don’t give a frag about you, will you _leave_ now?” settling on his hunches he looked at his preoccupied former Beta with a somewhat stunned expression on his handsome faceplates. Then suspicion dawned…

“Star~” , “Will you get off my case already? I’m fragging _bonded_! Frag off and mate your puppy, what do I care! But don’t you dare put up a fuzz when I bring my mate home!” 

Megatron left them, amused more than anything. That was not quite how he had expected that little confrontation to go, nor had he been sure that he would retain Starscream in his pack… 

Wonder of wonders. 

And now…

* * *

Optimus had retreated to his shallow den, somehow feeling that staying in there would make him feel sheltered. It did not work, he felt more and more paranoid in fact, as if he could still feel optics locked on his plating. 

Heat? 

Another reason to be happy he was here, or a true curse that his former owner had helped him though. Honestly he was not sure at this point, his chassis itched in that strange manner and everyone stared at him… 

Out of here! He had to get out of here, a run… or a hunt, either would do him good. Even if he did not feel hungry it would not hurt to fill his tank. 

The act of stepping outside alone gave him the undivided attention of four cyberwolves and it took quite a lot of willpower to not just bolt. Instead he walked, as sedately as he could, across the clearing and squeezed out between a pair of crystal roots. That was the way he normally took when he wanted to hunt, he hoped it would discourage anyone from following. 

All of this was terribly confusing and Swindle sounded like it was all fine and dandy. Irrational anger made him growl, the sound making him jump and spin. Panting he stopped, wrestling with the senseless emotions and the strange sensations swamping his chassis. 

This was something the cyberwolves had anticipated… something they even looked forward to. It could not be a bad thing. There had to be something good in feeling like this, some benefit that the pack got from it? 

His own Creators had never told him of this ‘heat’, but he had been taken from them as soon as he was weaned. There was a lot they had not managed to teach him, things he had had to bumble along and learn on his own. Like how cruel a one-form could be. 

And how very dog like wolves were… 

Huffing he lifted his olfactory sensor and tried to find prey scent on the scant brise, hoping to clear his mind with a purpose. 

Instead it was filled with the rich scent of wolf. 

“Optimus,” the voice was as dark and full as ever, deep enough to make his very back struts vibrate. It frightened him now, as it had always done. Not that he feared what Megatron could do, he knew what he could do, but… what the dark cyberwolf wanted with him? yes, that he feared very much since he still did not understand. 

“Megatron,” he could hear the growl in his own voice, could feel his audio shells go back to lie flat though he did not wish to show these signs of insecurity. At least his tail was not between his legs!

“Your heat has begun,” the rumble was thick with something… 

“Apparently,” he shifted minutely as the large wolf began circling him., desperately trying to keep him in sight without giving it away. 

“Have you chosen a den mate?” his audio shells peaked at the question, surprise momentarily dulling the fear. Swindle had asked the same… but why was Megatron curious?

“No, I… did not know that I was to make such a choice,” lowering his head he glanced at the other, embarrassed at his lack of knowledge. There was no way he could have known! But he still keenly felt this was something… obvious to any cyberwolf. 

“I suspected, but for the one-forms to be this cruel… to take even such a basic pleasure from you…” pity? He growled, audio shells going flat again, he did not want pity!

“Pleasure? Do not play me, nor pity me! Pack leader or not, I will not stand for that… and this is hardly a pleasure!” Optimus barked a harsh laughter at the idea of the itch being called ‘pleasure’. He could well do without this… this thing!

“Pity you… yes, but not for being weak, I only pity that you have not experienced all that this has to offer. Play you? Never, little dog, you are not a fool and I am leader of a pack… the pack you belong to, what would I win by playing you?” Optimus sat down, looking away from the too close dark cyberwolf. No matter how he turned it Megatron was speaking what he saw as truth. 

“How is this… _itch_ a pleasure?” the question was spat out, reluctance in every word, every line of his chassis. 

“It is not the ‘itch’ that is the pleasure, it is what one does to make it go away…” dark amusement colored the deep voice, and seemed to slither down from his audios to twine about his back struts in a dangerous caress. He flickered them, trying to shake the ridiculous notion. 

“So you can make this go away?” that was the important part!

“Yes,”, “then do it!” he bite out, turning his head to stare challenging at the larger mech. Megatron tilted his own head, but did not seem amused nor goaded. 

“You would chose me as den mate?” the words were neutral, but carefully pronounced, as if the dark cyberwolf wanted to be sure he understood.

“I would be able to stand sharing a den with you, yes, not that I see how one thing impacts the other,” for a long moment he thought Megatron would say more, maybe explain but then he growled deeply, wordlessly, and moved closer. 

Optimus moved back, surprised at the sudden shift from conversation to threat. Had he said the wrong thing? Goaded too much? 

Should he try to fight?

It very much came on its own when Megatron bit his shoulder, roughly but not painfully. He did not notice that though, only the attack and immediately attempted to fight back. A moment later he was knocked over and covered in the powdery snow, dark wolf over him… on him. 

Megatron’s weight kept him effectively pinned, the jaws closing over the back of his neck convincing him that struggles would only end in pain. His processor screamed at him that deactivation was near… but… past that scream his chassis _purred_. 

The itch was gone and heat had replaced it. Real heat, the snow on him melting slowly… He had no control over his chassis anymore, it moved with Megatron’s all on its own, hunches lifting, tail bending to the side. 

A helpless snarl left him and then he whined when something bumped against the apex of his back legs. It had felt… good? And…

Primus…

His howl was not one of pure pleasure, there was a fair amount of pain and surprise mixed in there too. Something was being pushed into him, Megatron’s spike? It had to be, it felt more like a burning crystal log! 

And fragging Unicron! If Megatron stopped he was going to kill him! Not even aware that he had spoken the words. 

“No fear of that,” the dentals did not really leave his neck but Optimus did not care. The words nearly vibrated though his armor, causing more pleasure, as did the growls that followed. His chassis hurt, his chassis _sang_ with pleasure. 

The spike was pushed in deeply, pulled out and then slammed back in… the rhythm taking his sense away, replacing them with growing insatiable need. He felt the strange sensation of the base swelling but all he could think of was how he was breaking apart inside, a pressure growing that would surely rip him open when it released. 

Suddenly his insides was flooded with molten heat finally triggering the pressure he felt. He howled along with Megatron as they climaxed, the larger cyberwolf easily stepping off him and turning around… 

It took him a moment to realize they were still bound together by their interface parts. 

A little panicky he looked over his shoulder, and then tried to look under his belly. 

“Be still!” the rough snap made him jerk forward and yelp when pain spiked in his valve. 

“What is happening?” 

“We are tied, be still… we will separate in a few breem,” there was distinct amusement in Megatron’s voice though it was still rough. He thought it over… but was not sure it made any more sense to him after half a breem. 

“Is this why we need to be den mates?” to his surprise the question made the cyberwolf laugh, great big deep guffaws of laughter that made him feel warm all over in a very distinct way… 

“Oh no, I thought this would stop that damnable itch!”

“It will, it will… trust me, Optimus, when I am done with you, you won’t be able to feel any itch,” for some reason he trusted those words even as they rather scared him too.

* * *

“This is your fault!” the accusation preceded the two mechs into Hook’s domain but the healer had been expecting them. He was good at predicting when sparkings would occur. 

“I realize my part in your predicament, beloved, but you were a very willing participant all the way though,” amusement ran deep in Megatron’s voice and made Hook grin as he saw the mated pair round the bend into the den proper. Optimus looked obscenely huge, and had to be nearly carried in, he had conceived in primary form and was, vocally so, very tired of being in said primary form. It was necessary though, if he did not want to lose his cubs. 

Hook had been unable to determine how many there was… no one really cared though. Three vorn past the first mating and the pack was simply eager to see what could come of the pairing of their Alpha and his submissive Alpha now that they had finally conceived. 

“Help him up here, my Alpha, and let us get started,” Hook petted the raised rock dais, smiling as reassuringly as he could. 

It would be a long orn…

* * *

“Skids! Leave Tarn be!” Optimus turned over tiredly, idly wishing he had hands to rub his bulging belly armor with. A huff and then a laugh followed the thought. Last time he had wanted to be in secondary mode and now that he was he desperately wished for his primary mode… maybe he really was un-pleasable. 

A snicker escaped, well… not _entirely_ un-pleasable, Megatron did a pretty good job of pleasing him usually, even as Carrying as he was. Another huff, this time truly longing, escaped at the thought of what his mate could do with that wicket glossa of hi~

“Skids!” he had to interrupt his revere to yell at the two vorn year old cub as he, again, tried to snatch his brother’s toy. The gitchmouse was still alive but that was no excuse, Skids could have kept his own alive for a little longer. 

Rung was keeping out of the burgeoning fight, the tiny cub busy eating his own glitchmouse as slowly as he always did. Bumblebee and Barricade were already deep in recharge against each other… well, wrapped in each other. 

Optimus signed again, two vorn, and another litter on the way, he hoped to Primus there would only be two or three this time. Five was at times a nightmare.

~You love it, and you love every one of them,~ he smiled and put his head down on his paws, optics growing dim. 

~Of course I do, I still hope we won’t have ten of them in a few groon time!~ the chuckle filling the den was very real and he relaxed, knowing that Megatron had entered the den.

“Starscream just had two healthy cubs, big too…” rich and deep the voice rolled over him as the physical caress, though his mate dutifully took care of their cubs before coming over to gently lick his swollen belly plating. 

“Good to know, mmm…” Optimus let himself be lulled into recharge by the gentle licks and the knowledge that he and his cubs were safe.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collaboration piece with megop_murr_miay (LJ)/Murr-Miay (DA) 
> 
> Here is the awesome art [ Part of the pack](http://murr-miay.deviantart.com/art/Part-of-the-pack-320956589)
> 
> Beta  
> AKzeal


End file.
